MATERIALS

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 550 degrees F (or 500 if that is the highest your oven goes). Place a pizza stone or large, rectangular cookie sheet on the top middle rack during the preheat.

Step 2: Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, olive oil, dried Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and sugar to a medium-sized sauce pan.Tip: If you don’t have crushed tomatoes, you can puree a can of diced tomatoes in a small food processor or blender.

Step 3: Whisk the ingredients to combine and cook over medium heat until it begins to sputter. Then turn to low and let simmer while you prepare the pizza crusts, pepperoni, and cheese.

Step 4: Use the small cookie cutter to cut out hearts from the pepperoni slices and set aside. I like to use the heart cutouts and the slices with heart “windows” in them so there is no waste. Set aside.

Step 5: Roll out a piece of parchment paper large enough to roll the pizza dough out on (plus a little extra). Lightly dust with flour. Add the pizza dough, dusting the top lightly with flour, and pat it into a flat round.

Step 6: Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into 1/4″ to 1/8″ thickness (depending on your crust preference). Using the large cookie cutter, cut out 4-6 individual-sized pizza crusts from the dough.

Step 7: Remove the scraps from around the pizzas and re-roll to form additional crusts. You can also form breadsticks for dipping in sauce with the scrap dough, or store it in the refrigerator for later use.

Step 8: Spread 1-2 tablespoons of sauce on top of each crust. Then sprinkle with cheese and top with pepperoni.

Step 9: Transfer the entire sheet of parchment with the crusts on it onto your pizza stone or cookie sheet. Bake at 550 degrees F for 5-10 minutes.
Extra sauce will store well in an airtight container refrigerated for up to a week, or a month in the freezer.